Return of golf to Utah Summer Games deemed 'total success'

Southern Utah University Community on the Go and the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games partnered to bring golf back to the annual festivities after a four-year hiatus. Overall, 23 four-person teams signed up for the event, which also featured a golf clinic instructed by Byron Casper, son of PGA legend Billy Casper.

“I was very excited to be a part of golf coming back to the Utah Summer Games,” Casper said. “It’s good for families and friends, and it’s my pleasure to be part of this new initiative in Utah regarding having a golf tournament back at the annual summer games in Cedar City. I also feel the clinic was a huge success and enjoyed helping everyone there.”

Pace Clarke, director of the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games, said he was pleased with the turnout at the golf tournament and would like to see the event return next year.

“Golf was a total success,” he said. “I have only heard positive feedback from everyone at the tournament, and having a pro such as Byron Casper was a great opportunity for our golfers to get some great tips from an experienced professional — everyone loved him.”

Gold medals in the tournament were awarded to Afa’s Team lead by Shawn Ekker, silver medals went to the Trouble Makers lead by Scott Neuhauser and bronze medals to Short Game with Randy Cowan as the team leader.

Other prizes were awarded to Joey Leyva for closest to the hole, Paul Goodrich for closest to the line, Shawn Glover for longest putt and Allen Davis for longest drive.

Jessica Burr joins SUU’s Community Enrichment Team

Southern Utah University’s Office of Community and Academic Enrichment announced the promotion of Jessica Burr to assistant director.

Jessica Burr started as Assistant Director of Southern Utah University’s Office of Community and Academic Enrichment in July 2018.(Photo: Submitted by SUU Community Education)

Burr previously worked at SUU as program coordinator for pre-professional health students, as a student success advisor for the College of Science and Engineering and as an admissions recruiter and event coordinator.

As the current volunteer coordinator for the Tour of Utah local organizing committee, as well as previous experience coordinating events with SUU’s Festival of Excellence, Day in the Parks, Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge and Achievement of the Year Award winner at the 2017 Thunderbird Awards, Burr is a perfect fit for the job, said CAE Director Melynda Thorpe.

Along with further developing SUU’s Community Education Program, Burr will also be helping build the university’s new Summer Experience program designed to bring culture-minded tourists to experience Cedar City in the summer, learn about the magnificent scenery in the parks surrounding the community, to attend the Utah Shakespeare Festival and more.

Hurricane graduate awarded FFA scholarship

Heather Stout has received a $1,000 Bunge North America scholarship from the National FFA Organization.(Photo: Heather Stout/For The Spectrum & Daily News)

Heather Stout of Hurricane has received a $1,000 Bunge North America scholarship from the National FFA Organization. Stout plans to use the funds to pursue a degree at Utah State University.

This year's scholarship recipients were chosen from 8,831 applicants from across the U.S. Selections were based on applicants' leadership, academic record, participation in FFA and other school and community activities, goals, and supervised agricultural efforts or work experience in agricultural education.

Stout's scholarship, sponsored by Bunge North America, was one of 1,829 awarded through the National FFA Organization's programs this year. More than 110 sponsors contribute more than $2.5 million to support student scholarships.